


All the Way Home I'll Be Warm

by stoven (orphan_account)



Series: 15Kisses [Scorpio] - Stucky [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Deaf Steve Rogers, Holidays, Kissing, M/M, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 01:43:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16734675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/stoven
Summary: The menu board at Starbucks has changed. In two days, it has changed. The bright red background of the boards with accents of white and green openly mock him.





	All the Way Home I'll Be Warm

**Author's Note:**

> written for the prompt 'fall' for 15kisses on dreamwidth

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.”

The menu board at Starbucks has changed. In two days, it has changed. The bright red background of the boards with accents of white and green openly mock him. 

The morning before thanksgiving, Bucky had gotten the seasonal pumpkin spice latte, as he had nearly every day on his way to class since the promotion started. Then, on thanksgiving, he stayed in and had a nice holiday with his roommates— everyone had helped cook something for the meal. The day after thanksgiving, Bucky slept in and bought a few Christmas gifts online for Black Friday, because frankly going to the mall on that day terrified him. 

Finally, today, two days after thanksgiving, the menu had already replaced the pumpkin spice latte with a peppermint concoction. 

“Winter doesn’t even start until the 21st for Christ’s sake!” He tries not to actually yell, but he can’t help raising his voice in disbelief. 

The little guy behind the register doesn’t look one bit concerned about Bucky’s plight. He’s scrawny and short and his right side is tilted towards Bucky, not facing him head-on. He pushes back a fringe of blond hair, and his name tag is already Christmas-themed and reads ‘Steve’. 

“You know we don’t actually get to decide on when promotions go up, right?” He says. “We just get instructions on when and what, and we have to do it.” 

“Yeah but, you’d think they’d wait at least until December, actual Christmas time, yaknow?”

“Buddy, Christmas time for corporations starts the day after Halloween, they’re just low key about it until after thanksgiving.” 

Bucky knows this, he just wish it wasn’t the case. Begrudgingly, he orders the grande Peppermint Mocha. 

“Name?” Steve says dully, holding the Christmas themed cup. 

“Bucky.” 

“Buck — ee.” Steve sounds it out as he writes, then turns to his right to the coffee machine. Bucky watches his left side in profile for a moment before he slides over to the pickup counter. 

“Have a nice day, Bucky.” Steve says with a Customer Service smile as he hands him the drink.

As Bucky walks to class, he realizes he didn’t recognize the guy. This is the same Starbucks he’s been going to since he started his first semester. Maybe just seasonal work? Bucky is a bit embarrassed to admit to himself the reason he’s still thinking of Steve, is maybe he thought the guy was a little cute. Also, he might like the peppermint drink a little too much. 

He shows up a half an hour earlier, the next day. 

Steve is at the register again, and he goddamn smirks when Bucky approaches the counter. 

“Good morning!” Steve greets him, “Would you like to try our Toasted White Chocolate Mocha today?”

“Uh, no.” Bucky says. He tucks his chin down, “Venti Peppermint Mocha.” 

Bucky goes red when Steve presses his hand over his heart, throws his head back, and _laughs_. Despite the situation, Bucky finds himself laughing along. Steve’s laugh is infectious. 

“You got it, pal.” Steve says when the giggles die down. He rings Bucky up, turns and starts with the coffee machine. 

Bucky waits again by the pickup counter for his Mocha. He’s early, so he has lots of time to drink it. Steve hands it to him over the counter again, and bids him a good day. But Bucky doesn’t leave just yet. He sits at a table close to the pickup counter, browsing absently on his phone while he drinks and occasionally glances at Steve. 

When Steve shuffles over to the pickup counter and starts fiddling with straws and things, Bucky takes his chance. 

“Working here for the holidays?” 

Steve startles but looks over to him, says, “Uh, Yeah. Just part time until the new year.” 

“You go to school?” He asks.

Steve glares at him, then, “I’m 26.” He looks like he wants to say something else, but Bucky just holds up his hand in surrender.

“Hey, woah, I didn’t think you were in _high school_. I’m uh— I’m an engineering major, I haven’t seen you around campus but I thought maybe—?” 

“Oh,” Steve says. “No, I work freelance from home. Didn’t go to college.”

“That’s pretty cool, though.” Bucky says. He slurps and realizes his drink is empty, now. “Ah, well…” he gets up and tosses the empty cup, “See ya ‘round, Steve.” 

Later, in class, he can’t get the image of Steve’s profile out of his head. His flop of blond hair, his eyebrows pinched in concentration, the purse of his lips. 

Fuck, this is not good.

For several days, Bucky comes into Starbucks at least 30 minutes early, orders a drink, and makes small talk with Steve from the safety of his table. One or two days, Steve isn’t there, which only makes sense— everybody’s got to have a day off sooner or later. 

Bucky hasn’t flirted with anyone in a long time, but he hopes that’s what this is with Steve. Surely Steve wouldn’t come over to the pick up counter every day to talk with him if he was just being a good employee. 

The following Thursday, Bucky greets Steve like normal, orders a sugary, minty abomination like normal, and gives his name like normal. When Steve turns to the coffee machine to make his drink, Bucky takes the final leap. 

“Do you wanna go out some time?” He asks, and not getting an immediate reaction he plows on, “Maybe like, a date? Tomorrow? Or whenever.” 

But Steve doesn’t respond, doesn’t even act like his listening. When Bucky opens his mouth again, maybe to apologize, he doesn’t even know yet, Steve turns back to him. 

The drink is already done, and he smiles when he hands it over. “Have a good day, Buck.” 

Bucky stands there like an idiot, mouth closed tightly.

Steve’s eyebrows pinch together, “Something wrong?” He asks.

“N—no, nothing. See ya, Steve.”

Bucky doesn’t come back for two weeks. 

There’s another Starbucks that’s ten minutes out of his way, but with the thirty minutes he’s been coming early to Steve’s, it’s not an inconvenience. Except it is, because he liked going there talking to Steve and then he screwed it up and crossed the employee-customer line and made Steve uncomfortable. 

Bucky goes back on the 20th, the week before Christmas. He’s not sure if Steve’s days off are consistent, but he hopes they are, when he goes in and orders his new usual holiday coffee.

“Tall Peppermint Mocha.” He tells the girl at the register. She looks like she’s dissecting him with her eyes and Bucky’s horrified that maybe he’s on some kind of blacklist after that thing with Steve. 

“Name?” She asks.

“Bucky.” He says. 

He goes over the the pickup counter, grabs his drink when it’s ready. He picks a seat near the windows and far away from the counter. 

The white snow is comforting to watch. It’s peaceful, until someone sits down across from him. 

“Hey, mind if I sit here?” 

It’s Steve, bundled in twice as many layers as Bucky. 

“Uh, yeah. I mean—no!!” Fuck he’s such a mess. 

“So,” Steve starts, removing his gloves and scarf, setting them off to the side on the table, “Are you okay?”

“Huh?” Bucky says intelligently.

“Did something happen? Are you alright?” Steve reiterates. “Sharon said you’ve come here nearly every day before I showed up.”

“Oh,” Bucky’s shoulders hunch up somewhere around his ears, and he leans back in his seat to give Steve more room. “I mean, that day. I made you uncomfortable when I asked you out.” The deer-in-the-headlights look suddenly on Steve’s face is very cute, if confusing.

“Um, what?”

“Yeah um, when you were making my coffee?” Bucky tries, “Last time I was here. You ignored me so I just figured… I made you uncomfortable. Which is totally understandable I mean——”

“Oh, God.” Steve put his head in his hand, fingers grasping his fringe and almost laughing. “Was this… you said I was making your coffee?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“That was my left side.”

“I guess so?” Bucky was beyond confused at this point. 

“I—— Buck, I’m so sorry. I’m…” He pointed to his left ear as he spoke, “I’m deaf in this ear. I—— I didn’t have my hearing aide in that day.” 

“Oh.” Bucky says. Well, that would explain a lot. He stares, unsure of what to say, where to go from there. “Um.” 

“I should have had it while I was working, I just didn’t think— I don’t know what I thought. You usually only talk after you’ve gotten your coffee so I just. Wasn’t thinking. I guess.”

“It’s alright, Steve, it’s okay—-” 

“Do you want to go on a date?” Steve asks abruptly.

That makes Bucky smile and a blush spreads on his cheeks. “How about coffee?” 

“Good idea.” Steve smiles back. He goes up to the counter and grabs a drink, comes back to the table and takes a big drink. “Now it’s a coffee date.” 

Steve’s smile is charming, and brighter than the sun, and Bucky wants to be a part of that, for however long Steve will have him. 

“I’m having a great time on our date.” Bucky says, a little mischievously, “But I have to go to class soon.” 

“If that’s the case, let me give you my number so we can get together again soon.” Steve says. He stands up and hovers near Bucky’s chair. They exchange phones and type in their phone numbers. Steve puts his name in as Stevie Rogers. Bucky fills out his full name. He sees Steve’s eyes light up when he takes back his own phone.

“Buchanan?” He grins.

“Just call me Bucky.” 

Steve takes that moment to lean down, kiss the corner of Bucky’s mouth. His lips are soft, and Bucky nearly gasps when their mouths move together gently. It lasts only a moment, and Bucky resists the urge to follow Steve’s lips as he pulls away. 

The taste of peppermint from Steve’s mouth is the sweetest Bucky has ever had.


End file.
